Erik ten Hag has urged his Man United side not to focus on just Erling Haaland and believes they can cause an upset at the Manchester Derby on Sunday. Haaland, who transferred to City from Borussia Dortmund in the offseason, is responsible for 11 of his team’s 23 Premier League goals. The 22-year-old has adapted well to life in English football and will play United on Sunday at the Etihad for the first time. Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, two players who have been crucial to United’s recent mini-revival under Ten Hag, are set to oppose him, but the Dutchman would not be drawn on how to stop the imposing center-forward.
“Instead of playing against Haaland, we face Manchester City,” Man United head coach Erik ten Hag said. “They have a team with more than 11 players, but we are confident in our talents and know that we can defeat such opponents if we play as a unit both in and out of possession. It is evident that this is the attitude we must adopt when we line up to play and during the entire 90-minute game on Sunday.”
Martinez, a 5-foot 9-inch defender for United, can “handle” playing against taller forwards like Haaland, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Haaland, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall, is seven inches taller than Martinez, the league’s shortest central defender. However, the Argentine earlier silenced Haaland by neutralizing the Norwegian in Ajax’s 4-0 Champions League victory at home over Borussia Dortmund last October.
“There is no denying that Erling is taller. There is no question that if United spends this money on him because Erik naturally knows him from Ajax,” Pep Guardiola said. “However, I enjoy it when people underrate football players based on their stature. He may say, “I’m here, I’m a good player, and I can play wherever.” He’s a great player with amazing buildup and aggression, as you can see from his actions.”
For more football news, click here
